Best AI Plugins for SketchUp (2026): Render, Model, Clean
· 11 min read
By Ömer Koç, Architect · Founder of Archome AI
What are the best AI plugins for SketchUp? For rendering, the realistic choices in 2026 are SketchUp's own AI Render (included in a subscription), Veras (a paid plugin from Chaos that also covers Revit and Rhino), the free mnml.ai plugin, and Archome AI Render, our free extension from the Extension Warehouse. For modelling help, SketchUp's own Generate Object is the main built-in option, and for cleanup its AI Render Erase tool covers image artefacts. This guide covers what each does, what it costs, how to install it and which to use for what.
Archome AI is our product; we list our extension first for the reasons below. Plugin details were compiled 4 November 2026 from vendor pages and our own comparison files (some read earlier in October 2026). Vendors change credits and plans often, so confirm on their pages. We only list tools we could confirm work inside SketchUp.
Quick picks
| Plugin | Does | Works inside SketchUp? | Cost model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archome AI Render | Renders the current viewport with a style and a prompt | Yes, free extension on the Extension Warehouse | Free to install; 100 free credits, then plans from $29/mo or packs from $15 |
| SketchUp AI Render | Prompt-based render over your viewport, with Erase and Paint tools | Yes, built in | Included with a subscription; metered in monthly AI credits |
| SketchUp Generate Object | Creates 3D objects from a text prompt | Yes, built in | Uses the same AI credit pool (30 credits per generation) |
| Veras | AI render of the live view; web app too | Yes, also Revit, Rhino, Archicad, Vectorworks | Chaos Credits billed annually, from EUR 15.90/mo (as read October 2026) |
| mnml.ai plugin | Sends the view to mnml's browser tools | Yes, free plugin | Credits; check mnml.ai pricing |
| MyArchitectAI | AI render of a SketchUp or Archicad view | Yes, per its own site | From $29/mo (as read October 2026) |
1. Archome AI Render: free extension, credits that do not expire monthly
The extension is published on the SketchUp Extension Warehouse as "Archome AI Render". You install it, click Connect once to link your Archome account (no copying of keys), and render the current viewport with a style and a prompt. The render happens in the cloud and takes about 30 seconds. Your camera and geometry are kept; materials, light and atmosphere come from the prompt.
Where it wins
- Free to install, 100 free credits on sign-up (three renders, no card).
- Credit packs ($15 for 500, $39 for 1,500, $99 for 5,000) are one-time purchases, not reset each month, which suits project-based work where renders cluster around presentations.
- Same account covers the browser tools: exterior and interior restyle, 4K enhancer, floor plans, video and the ChatGPT app.
Where it doesn't
- It renders a picture of your viewport; it does not edit the model.
- No live link: each change is a new render, not a real-time update.
- Fine details such as exact joint lines are interpreted, not measured.
Plans: Lite $29/mo for 1,000 credits (100 Fast renders), Plus $49 for 3,000, Studio $119 for 10,000. A 14-day money-back guarantee applies if no credits are used. Details on the SketchUp AI plugin page and in pricing.
2. SketchUp AI Render: already in your subscription
SketchUp's own tool, originally launched as Diffusion, is now part of the app as AI Render. You frame the view, type a prompt and get a photoreal pass in roughly 13 to 20 seconds. It also ships an Erase tool for cleaning artefacts, a Paint tool for restyling a masked area and a geometry-fidelity control.
Where it wins
- Zero context switching: it lives in the modelling window.
- Included in a SketchUp subscription at no extra licence step.
- Useful controls for fixing small areas.
Where it doesn't
- Metered by monthly credits: 100 on Go, 150 on Pro, 200 on Studio, and unused credits do not roll over.
- Works from the SketchUp viewport; it is not designed for photos, floor plans or video.
- Trimble's own pages disagree on whether a render costs 5 or 10 credits; the counter inside the tool shows the current figure.
The worked numbers are in SketchUp AI Render credits and real cost per image, and the head-to-head is in SketchUp Diffusion alternative.
3. SketchUp Generate Object: the modelling side
Generate Object creates a 3D object from a text prompt, such as a chair or a planter, inside SketchUp. It draws from the same credit pool as AI Render, at 30 credits per generation according to SketchUp. It is a way to get a quick placeholder object without hunting through the 3D Warehouse.
Where it wins: speed for background props. Where it doesn't: generated objects are not measured models, so treat them as scene dressing, not as specified furniture, and expect to clean up geometry.
4. Veras: AI rendering across BIM hosts
Veras was built by EvolveLAB and is sold by Chaos since its 2025 acquisition. It renders the live view inside SketchUp, Revit, Rhino, Archicad and Vectorworks, with a web app for uploaded images. A Geometry Override slider lets you hold the model tightly or let the AI wander.
Where it wins
- One tool across several hosts, useful if your team mixes SketchUp, Revit and Rhino.
- Adjustable geometry control.
- Backed by a large renderer vendor.
Where it doesn't
- Billed annually rather than month to month, in Chaos Credits.
- Commercial rights on paid seats are not spelled out on the page we read.
- No free tier beyond a 14-day trial with 100 credits.
More in the Veras alternative comparison.
5. mnml.ai plugin: free bridge to a browser suite
mnml.ai publishes free plugins for SketchUp, Revit, Rhino and Grasshopper that send a view into its browser tools, which include exterior, interior, sketch, landscape, masterplan, floor plan, enhancer and video. Credits run on one balance across tools.
Where it wins: one balance across many tool types, DXF export, commercial licence on every plan. Where it doesn't: it is a bridge into a web app rather than an in-viewport render, and the pricing and output sit on mnml's side, so check its page for current plans.
6. MyArchitectAI: SketchUp or Archicad views
MyArchitectAI renders a SketchUp or Archicad view and quotes plans from $29 a month. Its licence section was not readable when we checked, so confirm commercial terms before client work.
Plugins we left out
You will see other names in forum threads, including Silpu, RhinoBanana and various diffusion-based add-ons. We did not list them because we could not confirm they run inside SketchUp (RhinoBanana's name points at Rhino), or we could not confirm a maintained release. If a tool is not on this list, that means "not verified", not "not good".
Which plugin for what
| You want | Use |
|---|---|
| Quick test renders while you model, already paying for SketchUp | SketchUp AI Render |
| Client-ready images in bursts around meetings, without monthly resets | Archome AI Render with a credit pack |
| Same tool in SketchUp, Revit and Rhino | Veras (or the mnml plugins) |
| To fix a small area of a generated render | SketchUp AI Render Erase or Paint tool, or masked editing in Archome |
| A quick placeholder object | SketchUp Generate Object |
| A 4K final or a short video from the render | Archome (enhancer and video tools in the same account) |
Many users run two: the built-in tool for quick viewport tests, and an external one when an image goes to a client. A note on cleanup: the AI tools above clean up rendered images, not model geometry. Fixing stray edges, duplicate faces or heavy meshes is still done with SketchUp's own tools and non-AI extensions.
How to install Archome AI Render in SketchUp
- Open the SketchUp Extension Warehouse (Window, Extension Warehouse) and search for "Archome AI Render", or use the listing linked on the downloads page.
- Click Install and accept the prompt. The extension appears in the Extensions menu.
- Click Connect once. A browser tab opens to link your Archome account; new accounts start with 100 free credits.
- Frame your viewport the way you want the image.
- Choose a style, add a prompt such as "light oak cladding, overcast morning, wet pavement" and render. About 30 seconds later the result is back.
- Download it, enhance it to 4K, or try three other prompts on the same view.
Tips: render a clean white-model view first for the strongest geometry hold, hide helper guides and section planes, and keep the prompt to materials, light and mood rather than describing the building again.
What it costs to run an AI plugin month to month
The cost question for SketchUp users comes down to how steady your rendering is. SketchUp's AI Render allowance is included but resets monthly, so a quiet month banks nothing for a busy one; the $11.99 add-on adds 1,500 credits for as long as you keep paying. Archome's credit packs are one-time purchases: $15 for 500 credits is 50 Fast renders, and the balance is not reset each month. Subscription plans ($29, $49 or $119 a month) suit steady daily use. Veras bills annually in Chaos Credits, which is cheaper per credit but commits you for the year. Match the billing model to your project rhythm, not just to the headline price.
What AI plugins can and cannot do
- They can turn a viewport into a convincing image in seconds, test many material directions and cut the cost of rejected options.
- They cannot produce measured, specified output. Joinery detail, exact tile layouts and light levels are interpreted.
- They are not a replacement for a physically based renderer when the image carries contractual weight. Compare the options in best AI architectural rendering tools.
FAQ
Does SketchUp have built-in AI? Yes. AI Render creates a photoreal image from your viewport and a prompt, with Erase and Paint tools, and Generate Object creates 3D objects from text. Both draw from a monthly pool of AI credits that comes with a subscription.
What is the best AI plugin for SketchUp rendering? It depends on how you work. SketchUp AI Render is the most convenient for quick tests; Archome AI Render is a free extension with one-time credit packs that suits project-based work; Veras covers several BIM hosts.
Is there a free AI render plugin for SketchUp? The Archome AI Render and mnml.ai plugins are free to install, and both give free credits to start. Archome gives 100 credits on sign-up with no card, which is enough for three renders.
How many credits does SketchUp AI Render use? SketchUp's help center says 5 credits and its pricing page says 10, so check the counter inside the tool. Monthly allowances are 100, 150 and 200 on Go, Pro and Studio, and unused credits do not roll over.
Does Archome AI Render work with the free version of SketchUp? It is designed for the SketchUp desktop app that supports extensions. Check the Extension Warehouse listing for the SketchUp versions it supports before installing.
Do AI plugins change my SketchUp model? No. They read the viewport image and return a new image. The model file is unchanged.
Can AI plugins generate a 3D model for SketchUp? Only SketchUp's Generate Object creates 3D objects inside SketchUp, and it is best for props. Archome and the other render plugins create images, not models.
Do I need a powerful computer to use them? No. Rendering happens on the vendor's servers, so a normal laptop that runs SketchUp is enough. Archome's price list is on the pricing page.